Dark Energy Spectersby S Shane Thomas

“Ghosts,” Leroy stammered.

“You believe in that?” Jillian cocked an eyebrow as she
pulled blonde hair off her shoulders and into a bun under her Colonial Security
Force cap.

“Saw one back on Earth.
I’m surprised you never ran into one on that farm you grew up on.” Leroy
gave his partner a grin and pulled a small scanner from his pack. “Morin and
Keller said this will tell us what they really are, but if you ask me we’ll
just learn what ghosts are made of.”

“I never took you for the superstitious type Leroy,” voiced
Ileeta, copilot of the macrobot. She and her mate Ren operated a child sized
silver robot, their faces appeared as glowing displays, one in each eye. She
raised a slim silver hand and patted his shoulder. “The idea of conscious
existence after a physical death and dis-corporation is amusing, but I’d hardly
expect a seasoned explorer like you to entertain the notion.”

“You little Rhootvi must not have ghosts because you are too
small for them,” Leroy chuckled. He had never been one to pick on the little
guy, but the Rhootvi were microscopic, not undergrown. Besides, he felt embarrassed in front of Jillian.

“I guess I’m a bit creeped out too,” Jillian said in Leroy’s
ear, too silently for the others to hear.

“Your sensory organs must be better attuned to the
differences of these beings” Bloom said and stroked the air near her root
cavity, then opened her dart toothed mouth slightly. A black silhouette flashed
at her contact, the humanoid figure blurred into electric purple motion, and
disappeared. “They seem to have a similar apprehension to our form of life.”

Leroy groaned, he sprawled on the ground, limbs still by
his sides. Jillian knelt and helped the man to a seated position.

“I think that thing just ran right through me.”

“Did that scanner take any readings?” Jillian leaned over
her partner, and put a hand over Leroy’s examining the display. “What does this
indicate?” She asked; her face only inches from Leroy’s.

“I…uhh…” he stammered, lost in her eyes.

The cool silver hand of the macrobot closed around the
device and pulled it closed to the visages of Ren and Ileeta. “Incredible!” They
exclaimed in unison.

“You’ve seen that before?” Jillian asked.

“Dark matter and dark energy were only theoretical concepts
for our people. I never thought to see evidence of their existence,” Ren said.

“The small amount of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen the
scanner detected must be the part of that being we are able to observe,” Ileeta
said.

Bloom had maneuvered around Leroy, Jillian, and the macrobot
during their discussion. Its viney arms wrapped around what looked like
dense shadow, its leaves rolled into straws. The others could feel her
telepathic message of comfort and assurance directed at the figure in its
embrace. “This one is a scared youth.”

Suddenly, Jillian and the macrobot crashed to the
ground, massive black figures loomed over them. Leroy jumped to their defense
tackling the larger figure around the waist. His momentum pulling the shadow
back a few paces before Leroy landed in a tumble, having passed through the
creature. Purple bolts leaped from both looming silhouettes and Leroy writhed
in pain as they connected.

The small shadow leapt from Bloom’s embrace, encircling the
larger pair. The assault ceased, Leroy moaned and slumped onto the ground.
Bloom, Jillian, and the macrobot surrounded their colleague. In the confusion,
the shadowy child and its parents disappeared into the surrounding brush.

Leroy roused; his head cradled in Jillian’s arms. “I
guess I’m the first person to see a ghost on two worlds” he smirked, and then
he noticed Jillian and color flushed his complexion.